Warp tension apparatus for slashers



March 1, 1955 L. F. FRYE 2,702,934

wARP TENSION APPARATUS FOR sLAsHERs LEONARD F. FRYE,

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS March 1, 1955 Filed Nov. 26, 1952 L. F. FRYE WARP TENSION APPARATUS FOR SLASHERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR: LEONARD E Fave.

im @ZZ ATTORNEYS United States Patent r WARP TENSION APPARATUS FOR SLASHERS Leonard F. Frye, Gastonia, N. C., assignor of one-third to Lewis L. Baxter and one-third to R. J. Holshouser, both of Mooresville, N. C.

Application November 26, 1952, Serial No. 322,626

3 Claims. (Cl. 28-28) This invention relates to apparatus for treating yarn and more especially to an improved means for maintaining uniform tension in strands of yarn passing from a plurality of warp beams or spools to a size box of a slasher or to analogous machinery.

As is well known to those familiar with the art, in preparing a plurality of warp beams for a single Slasher, the yarns are generally fed to all of the warp beams, one at a time, on a common beamer so the tension in the yarns on each of the warp beams is very nearly the same; that is, the yarns on all of the warp beams have substantially'the same tension. Also, the amount of yarn wound on the warp beams or spools, from which said yarn is to be withdrawn into a size box of a Slasher, or the like, does not vary more than a few inches from one warp beam to the other and all of the warp beams usually have the same type of yarn, as to density and texture, wound thereon.

However, heretofore, a separate tension apparatus has been provided for each spool or warp beam, from whence the warp yarns were withdrawn to a size box or the like, and, it is practically impossible to adjust a plurality of tension devices so that all of them produce the same tension in the yarns extending from all of the warp4 beams, particularly in the event of lint or other foreign matter accumulating on the tension means. It is evident that the tension in some sheets of warp yarns may then vary considerably relative to other sheets of Warp yarns as they are withdrawn from the warp beams with a resulting uneven tension in the composite sheet being introduced to the Slasher, since the yarns from one warp beam may be stretched or attenuated substantially more than the yarns from another or other warp beams.

It is also evident that a greater amount of sizing solution would be absorbed by relatively -loose warp yarns as compared to relatively taut warp yarns. For example, it has been found that'when an individual tensioning means has been provided for each of the warp beams of the Slasher, the variations in the tension of the yarns from adjacent warp beams has been between four and twelve per cent in forty thousand yards.

In order to overcome the above and other defects, it is an object of this invention to provide a common warp tension apparatus for a plurality of warp beams, from which the yarns are withdrawn to a common take-up means such as a size box of a slasher so that the tension of the yarns from all of the warp beams will be maintained constant.

More specifically, it is anobjectof this invention to provide a warp tension apparatus-in associatiQmWtha creel stand on which a plurality of warp beams are `rotatably Supported,.Said,xi/arp tension apparatus .Comprising agcemmon Online shaft having a tension devicetherecn formaintainng a pred.eterminedteliSQnv 011. theline Shaft, with independent connections between thelineshaft and each ofthe warp beams to Ycause each beamhtoletgoff at the saine speed. Forqexample, if the tension inthe ,yarns passinafrom, any ,Qneormoretef the .were bsamsis greater thanV `in otherspfhthe warp beams, vthe tension in the yarns in the rst-named warpbeamo'r beams will assist the tension means associated with vthe comion'or line shaft in retarding rotation of the `otl'ierbrY secondnamed Vwarp Ybeams therebvlinsu'ring that uniform amounts or, lengths of yarrifar'e `wi't.l'1dr'awnY fromall"of the warp beams simultaneously and also causing the tension in the warp yarns withdrawn 'fi-om'thefwarp beams to befeqiialized between all of thfe walr'p beams. g m

2,702,934 VPatented Mar. 1, 1955 ICC It is evident that the greater the number of Warp beams having individual driving connections with the common or line shaft, ythe more uniform will be the tension in the yarns in the composite sheet formed therefrom as the yarns are directed to a common element, such as the size box of a Slasher. Suchan apparatus not only prevents extreme variations in the amount of tension in adjacentsheets of warp yarns, as above set forth, but also facilitates adjustment of the common tension for all of the sheets of warp yarns to where all of the warp yarns may be stretched an even desired amount above their original lengths.

It is another object of this invention to provide means for connecting a plurality of warp beams together to maintain a constant and equal speed of rotation for all of the beams and permitting use of a common tensioning device.

Since the beams all have the same amount of yarn thereon, this device permits even stretch of the yarns, and permits the tension of the yarns on individual beams to cause compensatory movement of the other beams tending to even out the variations in tension.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- `Figure l is a side elevation of a creel stand or frame on which a plurality of warp beams are mounted and showing, somewhat schematically, means for withdrawing the sheets of warp yarns from each of the warp beams to a common element, exemplified in a size box;

Figure 2 is an enlarged top plan view of the creel stand or beam supporting frame looking down along line 2 2 in Figure l;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary View of the tension device showing the line shaft, in cross-section andjlooking substantially along the line 3-3 in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a rear elevation of the creel stand showing the improved warp tension apparatus in association therewith; Y

Figure 5 is Va vertical sectional view, mostly in elevation, taken along the line 5-5 in Figure 2,

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 broadly designates a creel stand or warp beam supporting frame which includes side frame members 11 and 12 whose upper'ledges are usually inclined downwardly and forwardly as shown in Figures l and 5. The side frame members 11 and 12 have respective upwardly projecting standard portionsV 13 and 14 integral therewith. The rear ends of the side frame members 11 and 12 have opposite ends of transverse frame members or plates 15 and 16 suitably secured thereto and the front ends of the side frame members 11 and 12 have opposite ends of a transverse frame member or plate 17 suitably secured thereto. A

Suitably secured to the upper inclined edges of the side frame members are respective pairs of bearing blocks 20, 21 and 22, 23 which are preferably U-shaped for reception of shafts or journal end portions of 4flanged warp beams or spools 25 and 26. The journal end portions of the warp beams 25 are indicated at 30 and 31 and are supported in the respective bearing blocks 20 and 22. -The`jouinal-end'portions :or shafts of the warp beams -26 arerotatably supported v:in Vthev respective-bear ing blocks-21and 23: e i i Suitablysecured totheupper ends ofthe standard'por'- tions 13 and 14 are respective bearing `blocksxatlandVv 35 which are preferably" U-shaped' for `reception'of journal end` portions cr lshafts 36-and37 i of anintermediatewarp beam 40; It is'thus seen V'that' the warp beams '26,125 and 40 are disposed at progressively'higherelevations:

'Sheets of warp'yarns 25a, 26a`and"40 a'pass"f'rom` the respectivewarp beams 215; 26 and 40 and are formed'into a composite sheet 41a whichpasses over'a'ri idler' roll'41 of a suitable form oftakel'ii'p r'iiean'sas'exemplied by'a size box broadly designated at 39.:4 Tl'ie'si'ze` box 32 usually containfsasuitable sizing s'olutioii indicated at SL' The c'mpsitesheet of warp' yansllzz` passes successively beneath aii'rimmer'sion'roll`42, betweei'i'a first pair ofsquei'eze rolls `43 and r44, berrl1'eath Vanother `iinne'r sionroll 45, and between 'another p'airof `sqi'ieeze'*A rolls 4 6 and 47 and thence to the usual drying means, not shown, associated with a slasher.

As is well known, the squeeze rolls 43, 44, 46 and 47 are usually driven to thereby withdraw the sheets of warp yarns a, 26a and 40a from the warp beams 25, 26 and 40.

It will be noted that, in this instance, the flanges of the warp beams 25, 26 and 40 are illustrated as each being formed with a peripheral groove 50 therein, these grooves 50 being a usual formation in the flanges of such warp beams for reception of conventional ropes or the like associated with individual tension means. However, the grooves 50 may be omitted from the flanges of the warp beams 25, 26 and 40, if desired.

The parts heretofore described are the usual parts of a creel and size box associated with a slasher and it is with these parts that the present invention is particularly adapted to be associated. However, it is to be clearly understood that the improved warp tension apparatus may be used in association with any type of apparatus wherein sheets of warp yarns are withdrawn from a plurality of warp beams simultaneously and directed to a common or other take-up apparatus.

It is to be understood that the creel shown is for purposes of illustration only, it being contemplated that any number of beams may be connected to each other by means of this invention and in the present illustration the device is shown with only three beams for purposes of clarity.

Now, as heretofore stated, all the warp beams usually have the same amount and type of warp yarn wound thereon and, in order to maintain a more uniform tension in the various sheets of warp yarns than has heretofore been possible by the individual tension mechanism with each of the warp means, I have provided respective ring bevel gears 55, 56 and 57 fixed on the exterior surfaces of the flanges of the respective warp beams 25, 26 and 40. In this instance, these bevel gears 55, 56 and 57 surround the respective journal end portions or shafts 30, 32 and 36. Relatively small bevel gears 60, 61 and 62 mesh with the respective ring bevel gears 55, 56 and 57, the bevel gears 60 and 61 being fixed on the upper ends of respective vertically disposed shafts 63 and 64 rotatably mounted in bearing blocks 65 and 66 projecting inwardly from the side frame member 11.

It occasionally happens that a different type of yarn is wound on one or more of the warp beams than is wound on others of the warp beams with the result that it may be necessary to maintain a sheet of yarn passing from one or more of the warp beams under a different tension than the tension maintained in the sheets of yarns passing from the others of the warp beams. In this instance, assuming that a different type of yarn may be wound about the warp beam 40 than is wound about the other warp beams 25 and 26, it would be necessary to employ the conventional type of individual tension means in association with the warp beam 40.

Therefore, the bevel gear 62 is keyed on a vertically disposed shaft 70, as at 71, and is locked in position on said shaft 70 by a set screw 72. Thus, when a different type of yarn is withdrawn from the warp beam 49 than is withdrawn from the warp beams 25 and 26, the bevel gear 62 may be adjusted downwardly on the shaft 70, out of engagement with the ring bevel gear 57, and the conventional type of braking means or tension apparatus, not shown, may then be mounted on the grooved flange of the warp beam 40 to independently maintain tension in the sheet of warp yarns 40a as compared to the sheets of warp yarns 25a and 26a.

It is highly desirable that the bevel gears 60 and 61 also be so mounted on their respective shafts as to permit one or more of the same to be disengaged from the ring1 gears on the beam flanges, as desired.

Spaced below the bevel gear 62 is a collar 73 which is fixed on shaft 70 and slidably and rotatably engages the upper surface of a bearing block 74 suitably secured to, or integral with, the standard portion 13 of the side frame member 11. Of course, the bearing block 74 rotatably supports the intermediate vertically disposed shaft 70. A bearing block 74a, projecting from frame member 11 also rotatably supports shaft 7?. The lower ends of the shafts 63, 64 and 70 have respective bevel gears 75, 76 and 77 fixed thereon which mesh with respective bevel gears 80, 81 and 82 fixed on a hori- 4 l zontally disposed common or line shaft 83. The line shaft 33 is rotatably mounted in bearing blocks 84 suitably secured to, or integral with, the side frame member 11.

One end of the line shaft 83 has a suitable tension device generally designated at 85 connected thereto which may be of any desired construction and is illustrated in the drawings as comprising a grooved pulley or brake drum 86 which is fixed in one end of the shaft S3. A resilient or flexible member or brake band 87 extends substantially half-way around the grooved pulley 86 and opposite ends thereof are suitably secured to horizontal portions or flanges 90 and 91 of a bracket 92.

The bracket 92 is suitably secured to the transverse frame member or plate 15. The upper and lower reaches of the brake band 87 are penetrated by a bolt 93 which has a suitable hand wheel 94 threadably mounted on its upper end to facilitate adjustment of the tension in the brake band 87. In order to insure that the upper and lower reaches of the brake band 87 remain in engagement with the hand wheel 94 and the head of the bolt 93, respectively, a suitable compression spring 95 surrounds the medial portion of bolt 93 and opposite ends thereof engage the proximal surfaces of opposite reaches of the brake band.

It is thus seen that a common tension device is provided for all of the warp beams 25, 26 and 40. Since the warp beams 25, 26 and 40 are mechanically connected to the common shaft 83, any variations in the tension of the sheets of warp yarns 25a, 26a and 40a relative to each other tend to equalize the tension or resistance to rotation of the warp beams 25, 26 and 40. Also, all of the warp beams 25, 26 and 40 being mechanically connected to the common or line shaft 83, it is important that substantially the same amount of yarn is originally wound on each of the warp beams 25, 26 and 40 and that thev warp yarns be wound on the warp beams 25, 26 and 40 under substantially the same tension, because it is evident that, if the yarn on one of the warp beams was of a diameter substantially less than that of another of the warp beams, the yarns would be paid out from the warp beam having the greater amount of warp yarn thereon at a much faster rate than the yarns paid out from the warp beam having the lesser amount of warp yarn thereon.

While only one line shaft has been illustrated, it is to be understood that any number of line shafts and vertical shafts may be utilized when a greater number of beams are used by connecting the same together in a like manner. Also, it is generally desirable to have more than one tension device associated with the line shaft and only a single tension device 85 is shown by way of illustration.

While the connection between the beams has been sometimes referred to as a driving connection, it is to be understood that this does not in any manner imply that rotation is imparted to the beams by means of such connection. Such an arrangement would defeat the purpose of this invention where it is essential that the line and vertical shafts operate independently of other sources and serve only to tie the beams together.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only, and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

l. In an apparatus including a creel stand having side frame members and a plurality of substantially identical warp beams rotatably supported by said side frame members wherein substantially equal amounts of warp yarns of the same diameter have been wound about each of said beams under uniform tension, said apparatus also including means for withdrawing the warp yarns from the warp beams; an improved warp tension apparatus comprising a ring bevel gear on at least one end of each of the warp beams, a vertical shaft adjacent each of said warp beams, a bevel gear on each of said vertical shafts meshing with the ring bevel gear on the corresponding warp beam, a common line shaft adjacent said first-named shafts, gear means connecting the common line shaft with each of said first-named shafts, at least one tension apparatus including a brake drum fixed on said common line shaft, a brake band at least partially surround ing said brake drum, and means for maintaining the brake band in frictional engagement with the brake drum to uniformly restrain the warp beams against rotation and to thereby maintain uniform tension in the yarns withdrawn from the warp beams.

2. In an apparatus including a creel stand having side frame members and a plurality of substantially identical warp beams rotatably supported by said side frame mem bers wherein substantially equal amounts of warp yarns of the same diameter have been wound about each of said beams under uniform tension, said apparatus also including means for withdrawing the warp yarns from the warp beams; an improved warp tension apparatus comprising a lirst bevel gear on one end of each of the warp beams, a vertical shaft adjacent each of said warp beams, said vertical shafts being of various lengths according to the levels of the corresponding beams with the lower ends of said vertical shafts all terminating at substantially the same level, a second bevel gear on the upper end of each of said vertical shafts meshing with the lirst bevel gear on the corresponding warp beam, a common line shaft adjacent the lower ends of said rst-named shafts, gear means connecting the common line shaft with each of said rst-named shafts, and at least one tension apparatus on said common line shaft to uniformly restrain the warp beams against rotation and to thereby maintain uniform tension in the warp yarns withdrawn from the warp beams.

3. In an apparatus including a creel stand having side frame members and a plurality of substantially identical warp beams rotatably supported by said side frame members wherein substantially equal amounts of Warp yarns of the same diameter have been wound about each of said beams under uniform tension, said apparatus also includ- Cil ing means for withdrawing the yarns from the warp beams; an improved warp tension apparatus comprising a first bevel gear on one end of each of the warp beams, a vertical shaft adjacent each of said warp beams, a second bevel gear on the upper end of each of said vertical shafts meshing with the bevel gear on the corresponding Warp beam, a common substantially horizontal line shaft extending beneath all of said beams, the lower ends of said vertical shafts terminating adjacent said line shaft, bevel gear means connecting the common line shaft with each of said vertical shafts, a tention apparatus including a brake drum Xed on said common line shaft, a brake band at least partially surrounding said brake drum, and manually adjustable means for maintaining the brake band in frictional engagement with the brake drum to uniformly restrain the warp beams against rotation and to thereby maintain uniform tension in the warp yarns withdrawn from the warp beams.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 951,449 Petersen Mar. 8, 1910 1,788,196 Johnson Jan. 6, 1931 1,944,221 Cook Jan. 23, 1934 2,074,745 Griffin Mar. 23, 1937 2,092,344 White Sept. 7, 1937 2,160,910 Runton June 6, 1939 2,433,190 Ancet Dec. 23, 1947 2,460,569 Burrum Feb. 1, 1949 2,572,288 Taylor et al Oct. 23, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 401,195 France July 10, 1909 465,879 Great Britain May 18, 1937 

